


Manic Panic.

by MoonAndShadows



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Arkham Asylum, Jealousy, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Prison
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-06-30 09:50:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19850665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonAndShadows/pseuds/MoonAndShadows
Summary: Wow this is the most crack ship I've ever laid my eyes on. Couldn't even find a tag for it. Honestly its just soft boys in Arkham asylum. The second chapter will be focused on others. Still crack ships probably. Will add tags as i go.





	1. Crane Games.

Jonathan Crane hid away from Gotham for awhile in Georgia after shit got a little bloody. Got a degree and his accent back to prove it. Technically it is his home state. He didn't want to deal with everything and shockingly. They didn't immediately find him. 

It wasn't until years later when he showed up on the outskirts of Gotham a little drunk and too far gone from the world to speak that he ended up in Arkham. Yeah, that was his own fault. The anniversary of his mother's death hit hard that year. No reason in particular, but it broke his sobriety. 

It was easier to be sober in an asylum. "Just don't take the drugs" his mentor Edward Nygma would tell him. Their age gap was a bit but Nygma while annoying was intelligent enough to talk with and learn from.

Nygma always was on the edge of an escape. He also had Oswald on the outside currently to help him achieve that. No one really understood the nature of their relationship. But then there was also how Edward acted with Victor Zsasz who was always included in the escape plans. 

The ruthless killer and Riddler often held hands and would sit close together. Anything that wouldn't get them separated from sharing a cell. Jonathan analyzed this and wondered if it continued once they escaped. Maybe Zsasz was just Nygma's protection here till he escaped. The Riddler had never been the brawn of any operation. 

He also took into consideration the closeness of Oswald and Nygma or at least how close they had been before Jonathan ditched Gotham. Jerome dying twice freaked him out. Him being back again is even more insane. So he ran, that did piss a few criminals off. They called him a coward. He wasn't afraid, he just knew when it was better to lay low and when it's time to take action. 

Then scrawny little Jeremiah Valeska got thrown into the rec room. No make up, no green spray on hair dye, no green contacts. Just Jeremiah, looking as falsely innocent as ever. A rabbit hiding sharp teeth and claws. Like this he looked like Jail bait and Jonathan towered over him. It's honestly a little shocking to know that he's an adult. What goes on in his head?

The Jokester finds his own seat away from others. Unlike his brother who surrounds himself with people and demands their love and affection, Jeremiah waits for people to come to him and plays them like puppets. It's interesting to watch either brother do their work. It really is. He enjoys going over his notes on their behavior.

The crazy patients flock to Jeremiah. The ones that aren't true crime lords. The clinically insane ones who honestly belong here a bit more then lets say Edward or even him. Jonathan watches them listen to clowns intelligently eloquent speeches and at the end of the day Jeremiah returns to his cell. They all do. Like clockwork. 

Then his bunkmate gets busted for having some sort of contraband. A day or two passes and the Jeremiah gets moved into his cell. The clown laughs too much but overall is quiet when not being spoken to. 

He seems to get into a flow of how Crane works. All it takes is a hardened glance or a simple stern "Darlin.." and Jeremiah will become quiet or go to his bunk and stop making whatever random sound he was just making. It's not a hypnosis or a manipulation or even a toxin making Jeremiah listen to him. The clown simply aims to please him. He looks at him with chocolate brown eyes and soft smile. His curly red hair falling into his face and Crane feels like that loner Kid in high school with a sickeningly sweet crush again.

They talk sometimes, late at night after checks. Jeremiah will sneak down to Jonathan's bunk and nest himself at The taller man's side. They'll talk softly about the past and Jonathan's notes from the day. Until inevitably Jeremiah falls asleep and Jonathan carefully places the Clown back in his bunk.

They go on like this for a while. Just in a rhythm. There is always talk of escape, but that's just Arkham. Three months into Jeremiah's stay, in the middle of the night all the security goes down. You can hear gunshots and the revving of engines outside. 

Crane drags the sleeping redhead out of bed, grabs some of his notes and makes a dash for it. He has one of the keys for one the Arkham's buses hidden underneath his bed. He leads the sleepy stumbling clown to the bus and doesn't wait for anyone else. They get out of there. Luckily there are inmates going in all directions. They make a clean getaway. 


	2. Ozzy's Joy Ride.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More semi crack ships and Ozzy. Love him.

Oswald pulled up to give Victor and Edward a Get away ride out of Arkham. He smiles gleefully as he drives down the long winding road out of the asylum. "You two have gotten awfully close, right? That's really good." 

Zsasz simply just hums lowly. He doesn't work for anyone specifically anymore and got thrown in for being a bit too direct during a job he was hired for. Him and Nygma had actually been getting close before they met in Arkham it just worked really well when they shared a cell. He has an arm wrapped around the smaller man. He's always protective and a little possessive around anyone. 

The drive is smooth with Edward chattering away to Oswald and Catching up. "Oh Edward, did you get all my letters?" Oswald says while keeping his eyes on the road. Him and Edward are very close Friends. Dated for a short time even. Friends just worked better for them. Now Oz has Gordon and Edward has Zsasz. 

"You can drop me from the tallest building and I'll be fine, but if you drop me in water I die. What am I?" Edward says smugly and nuzzles against Victor. He sees the cogs turn in the taller mans head even though the riddle isn't for him. He is honestly thinking hard about it.

"Catwoman? Selina...would probably survive falling off a building but would hate water." Victor says in a mildly serious tone. He has fought the stray cat a few times just by her having a smart mouth and getting on his nerves. 

Edward can't help but laugh. Only Victor could think of such an answer and it is so funny. "No, not Selina. Let's give Oz a try. I do love how you think though, Zsasz."

Victor loves hearing that laugh so he doesn't even mind that its slightly mocking him. He enjoys how his answers to the riddles amuse his partner. Edward usually would get so mad at an out of the box answer or even a half wrong half right answer but he seems to thoroughly enjoy hearing how Victor's brain works. 

Oswald taps the steering wheel and clicks his tongue. "Paper. Is that the answer, Ed?" He feels slight swell of pride at figuring it out. Edward always said Oswald didn't have the brain for riddles. 

Edward chuckles happily and nods. "Yes, flimsy paper. Just like your notes. I wasn't able to grab them before I left. Selina Kyle is a wonderful answer though. Such an idea." He holds Victor free hand, the one that isn't on his hip. 

They mindlessly chatter after that. Until they reach Victor and Edward's Hideout. They thank Oswald and head inside to make sure everything is in order. Echo and Query were sitting on the counter talking, they instantly become quiet when their leader walks in. 

"At ease girls, it's been a long night. Head to your hideout next door. I know Oz made you stay here and wait for me. Zsasz has me covered, ok?" Edward smiles softly and continues " As a whole, I am both safe and secure. Behead me, and I become a place of meeting. Behead me again, and I am the partner of ready. Restore me, and I become the domain of beasts. What am I?" 

Echo smiles "boss, you're a stable!" Query just shakes her head and smiles before pulling Echo out of their bosses part of the hideout. "Yep, him and Vic here are very stable." She mumbled as they leave. 

Edward gets on his toes and pulls Victor into a kiss that leaves the other man a little shocked. Edward is direct like this occasionally but usually Victor makes the first move. He wonders what is causing him to act so forward. 

Victor picks him up and pushes him against a wall to kiss him deeper. There isn't much of a fight for dominance, Edward moans softly and submits willingly to the Assassin. Victor pulls back only to kiss bite down Edward's neck while carrying him to their room.

"Zsasz!...fuck..ahh..Shower sex? Haven't really been able to take a real shower or have our clothes in a while…" Edward says desperately between soft gasps and moans. 

Victor smirks and starts heading to the shower. "Sure thing, babe." He leave more visible marks that'll be seen even in Edward's Riddler suit. He's feeling a little possessive after being in the same car that long with his Boyfriend's ex. Oswald was also his boss multiple times. Complex relationships all around.

After a very satisfying shower and getting into clean pajamas they head to bed. Both of them have to agree that this is a lot better than those awful beds in Arkham


	3. Do I Even Want To Know?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow Lots of Oswald thoughts.

Oswald finds his mind drifting back to the past as he makes the long drive back to the Van Dahl mansion. The large building has become sort of safe house for Oswald over the years. Some people know of its location but no one dares to trespass. 

The past haunts him in certain ways, the negative choices he's made. How he's hurt the ones he cares about the most. His past is like a ghost that gently pulls him into a warm embrace and slices his throat. It's a tender personal sort of attack. 

Take Jim Gordon, for instance: the police commissioner of Gotham, He's the last Person that Oswald ever wanted to hurt but it's very clear that he's done that. They spent the better part of these years making stabs at each other instead of getting to know one another. Oswald will take ownership of his part. He will, but damn did Jim take deep stabs and carve out flesh. He left Oswald bleed and with his insides exposed for the world to see. 

It all started on that peer, just a simple act of mercy. Oswald looked up to him at first but admiration shifted into interest, morphed into love and adoration. He looked at Jim with stars in his eyes. He let those stars crash to earth like comets and their flames become extinguished. Loving James Gordon felt like a warm fire in his soul, but accepting that he needed to let it go… that hurt more than being beat with a chair. It felt like his body being frozen over. 

Then there was Ed. Smart, sweet, crazy, and lovable….Ed. he was like a breath of warmth to his frozen core. He felt like he could love again. He felt happy and warm. That fire, it flickered! It sparked and a tiny flame started. His soul finally felt like itself again. He was alive and warm. Then he made mistakes, many of them. He carved this time. He took chunks of flesh out of Ed, he was willing to sacrifice Ed's happiness just to keep that pathetic tiny fire flickering. isn't that just sad?

He clutches the wheel at the thought. The mere thought of what he did for affection and love. How he killed innocent civilians for it. Oswald blinks and tries to focus on the road. He's still a while from home. Why must he live so far from Arkham? 

Maybe being around the Other man is just triggering these old memories. Maybe. Time passed after Loving Ed. He moved on, sort of… more so he just took steps backwards into something recognizable. A familiar and friendly blade that liked to take cuts out of him. Jim Gordon, it shouldn't have been so easy to fall back in love with him. Maybe he never stopped loving him. It's not impossible to love two people at once.

Oswald is shocked that eventually following everything Ed forgives him and stays his friend. It was a move he didn't expect. Not that it was an easy road to forgiveness. They tried to kill each other many times. Once they did get everything settled they had many talks about his secret feelings for Jim, Edward had some words to say on that. Namely that he didn't think it was all that recent. Oswald wouldn't give him the satisfaction to confirm or deny. 

Edward had many surprises up his sleeve. A more recent one was moving in with Zsasz without very much talk about it. They had apparently been hooking up for quite a while beforehand but that leaves Oswald to wonder exactly how long. They weren't a couple you would think of seeing on the street together or adopting a kid or even just getting married. They were strange. Too odd balls that seemed to click in a way that Oswald can't see. Doesn't really matter. He shrugs and focuses on the road. 

One of the best surprises in his life that came absolutely out of nowhere and from an otherwise shit situation: Martin. To be absolutely honest with himself, Oswald didn't expect to click with the child to deeply and instantly. It was probably seeing a smaller child being bullied that set off some sort of protective mother hen instinct in him. To guard this young boy, help him grow and blossom into someone maybe even more powerful than himself. A mute Gangster he remembers thinking at one point, what an idea that is. 

The world just had a way of surprising Oswald, he could never truly be sure the world had run out of them. After the reverse pier incident, Oswald didn't expect to see Jim again. Not in person at least, no more favors, no more bashing heads, no clean cut Detective taking cuts out of his very being….and that was ok. Oswald accepted it. He didn't move on, just came to terms. He also didn't have much of an emotional well being for Jim to cut apart anymore. That game of pushing each other to the brink had made Oswald quite exhausted.

What he didn't expect was one week on a particularly rainy Friday night, the recently appointed Commissioner of Gotham's police to walk into the Iceberg Lounge with Martin close behind him. Now, usually Oswald would've given Jim the smile and "Old Friend, what brings you here?" But his eyes had instantly moved to Martin who knew to go in through the back door of the club. 

He didn't have time to process or evaluate the situation. His knee doesn't feel in an eminence amount of pain and he thanks the slow day for achieving this feat of impulse. He picks up Martin, hiding his face against the fluff of his coat so his criminal clientele can't see him, then guides Jim to the back room with his free hand. Cane be damned. 

Apparently Martin pulled a knife on some kids that were bullying him. Judging by Martin's scuffed up clothes and bruised lip, Oswald thinks this was a good reaction. "Did they live?" Oswald asks Jim simply. Martin has already left to another one of the clubs back rooms to study and draw. 

"What?" Jim responds softly, a little confused but also a little taken aback by this situation. 

  
  
  


Oswald finds himself laughing in his car thinking about that moment in his club's office with the Commissioner. He basically told him he condones his son killing. How did this spark that flame? 

  
  
  


"Did the kids that were bullying my son live?" There was an edge to Oswald's voice, something protective, something alive that Jim couldn't place. 

"He didn't hurt them, just scared them a bit. I was more worried about him then them...that's why I walked him home." Jim says with an innocent smile playing at his expression. He's gotten a bit softer around the edges now with his own kid. He's still single though. Just a single parent too. 

"I wouldn't have let you do what you did to me to Martin….if he killed them, I'd protect him and even be proud." He's saying this to get rise out of Jim. To get him to yell. To push him against a wall. "Carve more out of my being!" he wants to scream because he doesn't want him to leave. 

"I know, Oswald." That soft smile never leaves Jim's face as he says it. "I never probably apologized for letting you take the fall and go to Arkham...sure, they would have sent you there for a lot but what but you away was a crime i did too…" 

Oswald is looking at him with this slightly glazed and baffled expression so that must be why he continues. "I know...after Blackgate and the pier you don't want to see my face. I get it. I'm sorry, honestly. I'll go." 

The soft chuckle that erupts from Oswald stops Jim from getting up. "Which pier? I have emotional baggage from both...but I'm sure you do too. As for Blackgate, James...I can't fault you for doing your job and being the honest Cop I know you are. You are the only good Cop in Gotham, Jim Gordon." A soft smile creeps onto his face.

  
  
  


Oswald finds himself tearing up as he pulls into the driveway. He's sure he'll get an earful for being out so late, and missing putting Martin and Barbara to bed. He'll simply say he was helping out some friends. Nygma couldn't last another ten years. Last ten rattled him quite a bit. Ten years at Blackgate left Oswald a lot Colder and a lot harder to handle. He steps out of the car to hear the front door of the mansion open.

  
  
  


That day, in the office of the Iceberg Lounge, a fire was ignited between them. It wasn't just Oswald and his burning soul. It wasn't just him just trying to contain all these emotions by himself like they could set him aflame any minute. No, Someone was watching and tending to the fire with him. There was some to hold him close and kiss all the fears away. 

  
  
  


Jim rushes out of the door. He looks like he just got off of running from a shift but doesn't care about that at all. He's freshly shaven as if he knew that Oswald would complain about it. He doesn't say anything as he scoops Oswald into his arms and just sighs. He holds him close and breathes in the scent. The scent of his husband, yes husband. Not publicly but legally. They didn't bother with last name changes or anything like that but a ring on each others fingers and paperwork to prove it. 

The security of Jim's embrace helps him feel the closure of today. He feels whole knowing his children are inside sleeping peacefully and that his husband is in his arms. "What would I have done if something happened? What would i have told Martin or even Barbra? You know how much she loves you now…" Jim says harshly but without any real bite. 

"Darling, you didn't even ask where I was...you came out here and held me like I was a life line...I know moving in together was a big step especially since you have Barbara and my job is risky in similar yet different way than yours...but you need to calm down." Oswald takes his hand and leads him inside. 

"Let's get you out of those work clothes and into something more comfortable. You tell me your day and I'll tell you mine?" They have an agreement on Oswalds side to leave out killing or any very major crime that Jim would feel inclined to report. It works.

"Do I even want to know?" Jim's voice is a reluctant whisper once they are in the master bedroom. Oswald sighs, so he knows and this counts as too big of a crime. 

"Jim, my love. Please, tell me about your day. I've missed you immensely…" Oswald is distracted with taking off the intricate layers of his suit to notice Jim standing close and watching. 

"Mostly slow, until late when we got a call. That was probably around the time you asked one of your trusted people to watch the kids." Jim's ways in a low tone, Oswald hums. Jim picked out and did background checks on the trusted ones. 

"Over one hundred escapees from Arkham, including Jervis Tetch, Jonathan crane, Jeremiah Valeska, Edward Nygma, Victor Zsasz….just to name the ones we are actually trying to get collected right away since they are very dangerous. One of them you might know the location of?" Jim says evenly while pushing Oswald up against the wall from behind. 

"I'm not giving up Ed, Jim!" Oswald gasps out between a soft moan at the feeling of Jim pressed up against him. 

"I know, I just thought I'd ask. It makes me jealous how much you care for him." He sighs, it feels nice to finally say it. He needed to let Oswald know that. 

Oswald squirms to get turned around and looks up at Jim. "I love you, Jim. I love you so much. But another ten years in Arkham will break him...there just so happened to be a power shutdown. I was in the neighborhood. I don't love him as anything more than a friend. You are my husband."

Jim leans down and kisses Oswald deeply. he delights in the slight taste of salt and honey on his lips. "Why do you always taste so nice?" 

"Jealousy makes you say the strangest things, Jim." Oswald says as he finds himself being bridal style carried to the bed. He's looking forward to whatever Jim has planned. 


End file.
